


And Dream of Sheep

by mage_girl



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Kate Bush music appreciation fic, On the Run, Talking, music and rumination, quiet moments, set during The Deathly Hallows, we all love Kate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-03
Updated: 2014-12-03
Packaged: 2018-02-27 23:44:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2711078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mage_girl/pseuds/mage_girl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hermione and Harry introduce Ron to the wonderfulness that is Kate Bush while they're on the run.</p>
<p>Music eases the loneliness and fear.</p>
<p>Discussions fueled by stretches of solitude.</p>
<p>Another version of On the Road with the Golden Trio</p>
            </blockquote>





	And Dream of Sheep

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Librariandrew](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Librariandrew).



> This is a birthday fic for one of my dear friends and beta readers.
> 
> We share a love of Kate Bush and appreciate her music. And he requested a fic with Kate Bush and the characters from Harry Potter. So here we go!
> 
> Happy Birthday, Librariandrew!!! Thanks for all your help and wonderful conversations!
> 
> A shout out to Aphrodite_mine for her gracious last minute beta of this fic. You could say this fic is from the both of us. :)

‘So which is it, then?’ asked Hermione, taking a break from their walking and listening to the drone of the announcer listing the names of the dead over the Wizarding Wireless Network.

‘Which is what?’ asked Harry, glancing over at her and sitting down on a swing at the abandoned playground they’d been walking past. Harry had skirted past the weeds on the side of the road and headed right for the swings.

‘Which is your favourite Kate Bush album? ‘The Dreaming’ or ‘Hounds of Love’?’ asked Hermione. She sat on a swing next to Harry, gently rocking to and fro.

‘Is she a witch?’ asked Ron, turning down the wireless and sighing. The circles under his eyes were more pronounced. He’d been listening closely to the names being announced for days, his mouth drawn tight. 

‘I don’t _think_ she is,’ said Hermione, shrugging her shoulders. ‘At least, I don’t believe so. I haven’t heard of her in this world.’

‘She should be,’ added Harry. ‘She’s a singer, Ron. A very good singer.’

‘Oh. Not like mum’s favourite...’ Ron rolled his eyes and Hermione giggled.

‘No, she’s not like her at all. Kate is so very talented. And her voice is amazing,’ said Hermione. 

‘I learned that Harry listened to her when he lived with his relatives. And my mum and dad were mad about her. They played all her songs and had CDs of her albums and everything,’ explained Hermione.

‘Hermione and I’ve been meaning to hash this out. Figure out our favourite records and songs and the like. This is as good time as any,’ murmured Harry, taking Hermione’s hand and squeezing her fingers gently.

Ron sat down at the base of the swingset, glancing up at Harry and Hermione. ‘Don’t suppose you have some of her music, do you?’

Hermione blushed and Harry let out a small laugh. ‘Don’t be a betting man against Hermione, mate. You’ll lose every time.’

Ron smiled, a broad smile that Harry and Hermione hadn’t seen in days, ‘Too right, mate. So what do you have, ‘Mione?’

‘Well….’ Hermione opened up her beaded purse and looked inside before carefully putting her hand in. ‘I thought maybe there’d be time for some music and I wanted to bring some of my favourites.’

‘See, Ron? It’s going to be a lark, now that we’ve some music with us,’ teased Harry, a small smile on his lips.

‘Oh, bugger off,’ muttered Hermione, a reluctant smile at the corners of her mouth. She pulled out a pair of headphones and a round device. ‘This is a CD player and these are headphones. So you can hear the music. Here’s a few CDs that I brought along… my favourites that I couldn’t bear to leave behind. I’ve two Kate Bush CDs.’

‘Which ones?’ asked Harry, leaning over to look at the CD cases. 

‘’The Dreaming’ and ‘Hounds of Love.’ I thought about bringing ‘The Sensual World’ but decided to just stick to my two favourites. Here, Ron, ‘Hounds of Love’ is already in the CD player. Let me put the first song on from side two,’ said Hermione. She toggled the buttons. ‘There. Take a listen!’

Ron put the headphones on and frowned slightly as he listened to the music. Then, his frown disappeared. ‘Oh! This is… I like this.’

‘Yeah. I like side two a lot. It’s a whole story,’ explained Harry. ‘Someone adrift in the ocean… waiting to be rescued… see? You can hear that in the lyrics… and it just goes on… their story and all.’

‘Wicked,’ breathed Ron. ‘The next song’s begun… what are those....’ Ron demonstrated with his arm, making back and forth motions like he had a bow in his hand.

‘Oh! That’s the cello. A musical instrument. It’s low, see?’ pointed out Hermione. She traded excited grins with Harry. 

‘Yes! And… what’s that pinging noise?’ asked Ron, frowning again.

‘Oh, mate. That’s a muggle thing. It’s called sonar. Which we’ll explain later but… do you like the song?’ asked Harry.

‘Bloody brilliant!’ exclaimed Ron. He took off the headphones and looked at Hermione. ‘You know all these songs?’

‘Yes. And the songs on the other CD as well. Harry knows them, too,’ said Hermione. 

‘Can I… can I listen to both of them? Those CDs? Can you listen to the wireless? Just… make sure it’s no one we know,’ said Ron, lowering his eyes and blinking rapidly.

‘Of course. We’ll keep an ear out, Ron. You should take a break, anyway. Don’t want you getting worn out,’ said Harry.

‘Let me listen to these CDs and then we can talk about the music, yeah? If that’s OK?’ asked Ron, looking at Harry and Hermione, his blue eyes questioning.

‘That’s fine, Ron. Here, I’ll show you how to operate this so you can listen however you wish and you let us know when you’re ready to talk it over with us,’ said Hermione, taking the CD player from Ron’s hands and turning it so she could point out the controls.

Ron listened to Hermione, nodding his head when she showed him how to use the CD player and how to control the volume. One last sunny smile from him and he put the headphones back on and took the CD player from her, handling it carefully.

Hermione and Harry traded glances. 

‘Thanks, Hermione. He wasn’t doing so well back there,’ said Harry.

‘No… and it’s understandable. His whole family is in danger and now that the Death Eaters have free reign… he needs a small distraction,’ said Hermione. She shut up the beaded purse and put it back in her knapsack. 

‘How are you doing?’ asked Harry.

Hermione gave Harry a fragile smile as she pushed herself to her feet and began walking. ‘Hoping I did the right thing with my parents. Knowing that I could have damaged our relationship permanently. Wishing I’ll be able to find them again, when this is all over,’ she answered Harry, her voice trembling.

Harry put his arm around her shoulders and walked alongside. ‘We will. When this is all done with, we’ll find them and explain why you needed to do it. And then, see if they want to come back.’

Hermione gave him a wry glance. ‘You’re not going to lie to me, are you? Say that they’ll want to no matter what.’

‘No. I won’t do that. But I think they will come back. They’ll want to live near their daughter again, the ‘brightest witch of the age,’’ recalled Harry. He sighed and murmured, ‘Sirius...’

‘You still miss him that much,’ said Hermione.

‘Yeah. I never got enough time with him. It’s funny how we’ve stayed at his childhood home, befriended the house elf that served him, and learned about his brother… and he never got to be a part of it. All of this and he’s dead, behind that veil. I still can’t believe it, sometimes. I keep expecting a knock at the door and it’s him, thinking he played a grand joke on me. But I know he isn’t coming back. It’s just so hard, sometimes,’ confessed Harry. He glanced back and called, ‘Oi! Ron, catch up!’ 

Ron had the headphones on and was slowly walking, his eyes studying the ground in front of him. He looked up, grinned sheepishly, and hurried his steps.

‘Is it worse to lose someone for good or to lose someone and it _may_ be for good?’ mused Hermione.

‘Well, I’d rather not find out for sure. Let’s get this done with and we’ll get your parents back,’ said Harry, decisively. 

‘Thanks,’ murmured Hermione, squeezing his arm, keeping her hand on his bicep.

Harry half turned and motioned and Ron ran up alongside, put his arm around Hermione’s waist, tugging her against him. She was pressed against Ron’s side and could hear the music playing through the headphones. It was faint but she knew every song by heart and the last bars of ‘Mother Stands for Comfort’ played as they walked along.

Hermione was squished between Harry and Ron but didn’t want to move. She could feel their body heat on either side of her and the faint sounds of ‘Cloudbusting’ could be heard on her left.

‘After the war, what do you want to do?’ asked Hermione. She was walking in step with ‘Cloudbusting,’ she realized, her feet moving to the rhythm of a favourite song.

‘Not sure, anymore,’ murmured Harry. He adjusted his pacing so he was walking in sync with her and Ron. 

‘Not an auror?’ asked Hermione, raising her eyebrows in surprise. 

‘If this is what it’s all about,’ said Harry, gesturing around him, the bleakness of their surroundings emphasizing his words, ‘Then I’m having second thoughts. I don’t know if I want my life to be stakeouts and anxious waiting. Don’t know if I need to prove myself, anymore. I reckon I’ve proved myself just fine.’

Hermione smiled. ‘Yes, you have.’

‘And you, ‘Mione? What do you want?’ asked Harry. He was scanning the horizon, looking at objects ahead of them, his wand out in his hand.

‘I’ve always been a swot. Maybe I’ll become deputy headmistress at Hogwarts when all’s said and done,’ murmured Hermione.

‘Not going to champion house elves or some such?’ asked Harry, surprised. He glanced down at her before resuming his perusal of the countryside.

‘Not sure. After all, it’s been pointed out I’ve this righteous side that can be dangerous if left unchecked. Holy righteousness isn’t much better than what we’re fighting,’ said Hermione. 

Harry was quiet and when Hermione looked over, she could see he was thinking. His eyes were unfocused and he walked like he was drifting in sand.

‘I’ve known you all these years, Hermione Granger, and you still manage to surprise me,’ said Harry, after a few minutes of quiet went by.

Ron had switched out the CD and now ‘The Dreaming’ was playing. Hermione could hear ‘Pull Out the Pin’ playing faintly through the headset.

‘You don’t sound upset,’ said Hermione, her voice steady.

Harry raised an eyebrow and ran his hand through his hair, tousling it even more into disarray.

‘What’s there to be upset about? What I wonder is who’s going to balance you, then. Who’s going to be the one to take the righteousness and keep the flame steady?’ mused Harry.

They both looked over at Ron who was humming along to the music. 

‘Don’t say ‘no’, Hermione,’ murmured Harry, seeing Hermione’s mouth open. ‘You’re forgetting that he’s loyal, that he’s wise, that he can see things you and I can’t because this is his world and you and I are interlopers and half-savants. He knows what it’s like to be the underdog and he knows what it’s like to be the scion. He can find his way around it all and balance it out.’

Hermione gave Harry a measuring look. ‘And who’s going to keep you balanced? And Ron? It’s occurred to me we’re all balancing on a very thin line. Dumbledore gave us these items in his will but did not mention we’d also acquired something else.’

Harry stopped, then. He stared at Hermione with the knowledge of a wounded animal bleeding out in front of its enemies. 

Ron took off his headphones and stopped the music, staring at Hermione as well. He obviously was listening to her and Harry speak, their voices filtered through the music.

She raised her chin, took a deep breath, and didn’t mince her words. ‘We have his certainty, his arrogance, his knowledge. We have it all in our grasp but it will take only one wrong move and we’ll lose it all.’

‘Awww, come on, ‘Mione. Nothing’s going to get between us and those horcruxes. We know what we gotta do,’ protested Ron.

Hermione stared at him, hearing the lack of music and wishing it would fill the void, would fill the crack that was in her heart and was widening every second. 

‘That’s _exactly_ what I’m talking about, Ronald! We make one little mistake and we’re going to lose and then what’ll happen when he takes over? What happens when his world comes into being? You can bet that your family and my family will be lost… and what happens to us, Ron… we’d wish for a quick death,’ said Hermione, her voice shaking.

Ron stared at her. ‘I… I’m sorry, Hermione. I’ve been trying to pretend this is just a school trip. Something we need to do to get points for Gryffindor. I know it’s not… I mean, I know it really isn’t but… it’s easier to pretend we’re on one of those adventures I used to read about than to sit and think about what happens if we fail. And I know exactly what would happen to us if we failed. I know what the Death Eaters did in the first war and they’re much worse this time around. I know I might not see my mum or dad ever again. And even though my brothers drive me up a wall, I want to see them again. And Ginny… Ginny is at Hogwarts and the Death Eaters have taken over that place...’ Ron sat down in the middle of the field, holding the headset in his hands. 

Hermione sat down next to him and leaned against him. ‘Just… just don’t get too cocky. There’s too much at stake for us to make stupid errors, alright?’

‘Yeah… yeah, you’re right, ‘Mione. Again. We just gotta keep going on,’ said Ron.

Harry stood over them, looking around, making sure they were protected. He glanced down and smiled at them. ‘We just need to keep this in mind. Hermione’s right. And Ron’s right. Gotta balance the two.’ Harry squinted ahead. ‘I think we should make camp there. You didn’t happen to bring speakers with, did you, ‘Mione?’

Hermione blushed when Ron spun her around a couple of times and Harry held the tiny speakers in his palm, grinning at her like he’d won the World Cup. 

**

‘So… now that we’re all on the same page, which album do you like better, ‘The Dreaming’ or ‘Hounds of Love’?’ asked Hermione. She was laying on a cot, kicking her legs up in the air. 

Ron tilted his head. ‘Both. Both are good,’ he said with a grin. He was sitting next to the wireless, listening to the murmur of names again.

‘Don’t make me come over there, Ron,’ said Hermione, mock glaring at him.

‘Hmm… it’s really hard for me to choose, though,’ protested Ron. He leaned back in his chair. ‘On one hand, the songs from ‘The Dreaming’ are all spooky and odd. On the other hand, the songs from ‘Hounds of Love’ are really neat. And the second half is a story. It all fits.’

‘But if you _had_ to choose,’ pressed Hermione. 

Ron shrugged. ‘I think it all depends on the circumstances… like, the musical choices are going to be different.’

‘You think so?’ asked Hermione, impressed.

Ron wrinkled his nose at her. ‘Always with the tone of surprise,’ he teased her, smiling easily. ‘Yeah. I might choose another album of hers if we weren’t fugitives on the run. As it stands… I’d say ‘The Dreaming’ works with what is going on right now… what’s going on in my head. ‘Night of the Swallow’ reminds me of what people are doing… trying to help others get out of danger and all.’

‘That makes sense,’ said Hermione softly. She turned the volume up a little and ‘Get Out of My House’ was amplified throughout the tent. 

‘That song,’ said Harry, suddenly. ‘That’s the song that I think of when I think of the horcruxes.’

‘It fits,’ agreed Ron. ‘It kind of sounds like him, doesn’t it? All messed up and everything?’

Hermione shivered. ‘What’s your favourite album, Harry?’

‘The one I love the best is the second half of ‘Hounds of Love,’’ said Harry. He tilted his head back and hummed the first few bars to ‘Hello Earth.’

‘Why that one?’ asked Hermione. She turned slightly to look at Harry. He was sitting on a chair, close to Ron, and close to her cot. 

‘It’s a story, isn’t it? Someone lost at sea, bobbing along with their life vest on… and it’s dark out, it’s dark and no one’s around… and they have to wait to be rescued and they can’t fall asleep… so they think about their life… think about all sorts of things. It feels like real life set to songs,’ explained Harry, with a small smile on his face.

‘It’s like a movie soundtrack, yeah?’ asked Ron.

‘Yeah… exactly like that. I can pretend it’s a movie and instead of watching it, I’m listening to it… I’m thinking of what’s happening and what the person is going through… just by the songs,’ murmured Harry.

‘Feels like we’re in a movie. You know, one of those cool ones where we’re spies and we’ve got really important information and we’re trying to get to our guys and all,’ said Ron, waving his arms around.

Hermione giggled and Harry grinned at both of them. 

‘And then what happens?’ asked Harry, amused.

‘Then we get all the info and save the day of course,’ said Ron, sniffing with fake indignation. ‘All the girls swoon and my brothers have to bow down to me, even Percy, and then I get to eat all the chocolate frogs I want.’

Hermione laughed. ‘Sounds lovely, Ron. You’re going to get a sore stomach from all those chocolate frogs, though.’

‘I’ll chance it,’ said Ron with a grin. ‘It’ll be worth it, all those chocolate frogs and all those wizard’s cards. Say, you reckon we’ll be on them, too? You’d think us saving the wizarding world means we get our very own card?’

‘Dunno… might happen,’ said Harry. ‘Anything could happen, once all is said and done.’

‘Just think… I could be on a wizard card!’ whispered Ron, unadulterated glee in his voice.

Harry smiled at him and then looked at Hermione. ‘How about you, Hermione? Which one is your favourite?’ 

‘Oh… it’s so hard to decide between the two. I don’t know if I can choose between them. I can tell you my favourite song, though,’ said Hermione.

Harry had taken the snitch Dumbledore had bequeathed him and was tossing it up and down and catching it with one hand. ‘Which one is it?’ he asked.

‘’Watching You Without Me’ is my favourite song. It reminds me of my parents, now… but I thought it was so lovely and sad when I’d first heard it,’ said Hermione, her eyes welling up with tears.

Harry tucked the snitch away and got up to sit next to Hermione. He put his arms around her and tucked her against him. ‘It’s OK, Hermione… I know you miss them a lot.’

‘They’re safe… that’s what matters the most… but I wish I could’ve told them good bye,’ said Hermione, softly.

‘When this is over… we’ll find them… and you can tell them, ‘hullo’... and fill them in on every little thing. I’m not going to be arrogant and say we _will_ win,’ said Harry, rubbing Hermione’s arm. 

Hermione tilted her head back and looked up at him and Ron stared at him as well.

‘I hear a ‘but’ there, mate,’ said Ron, after trading looks with Hermione.

Harry nodded his head. ‘There is one…. but we _must_ win. We can’t entertain any other alternative.’

Hermione nodded her head. ‘Yes. That’s exactly where our thoughts need to be. Alright, it’s time for bed. We have to be up early tomorrow morning so we can look over the information we have.’

Harry gave Hermione one last hug before getting up and climbing into his cot, shucking off his trousers and trainers beforehand.

Ron climbed into his as well, pulling the blankets up over his chest. ‘Hey… Mione… can we keep the music on?’ 

Hermione smiled. ‘Sure. Start with side two again?’ she asked, knowing the answer. They all three slept better drifting off to sleep with Kate Bush’s ‘Hounds of Love’ playing.

‘Yeah. I’ll keep the Wireless on low… just in case,’ murmured Ron, adjusting the volume on the radio.

‘And Dream of Sheep’ played, the music filling the tent and swallowing the fear and loneliness, leaving behind calm and quiet. 

Hermione fell asleep first, her face pillowed on her arms. Ron fell asleep next, his mouth slightly open as he snored softly, the whispers of the wireless barely heard beneath the music. Harry stared at his friends and listened to the music. He felt like he was buoyant, bobbing about in a large ocean, far from shore. This music helped ground him, helped remind him he wasn’t alone in the vast unknown.

In the wee hours of the morning, Harry finally fell asleep, the music helping release tightly held fears and emotions. Harry imagined himself floating in a vast sea, the evening’s stars twinkling overhead. He bobbed up and down in the current, at peace, his mind quieting. 

Tomorrow would be another day of strategizing, thinking, and planning. Now, however, it was time for sleep. Harry gave himself up to the pull of exhaustion, closed his eyes, and drifted off with the music fading from his mind as sleep deepened.


End file.
